Rebecca Metz – Better Things

By starrymag | March 28, 2019

By: Kelly Kearney

 

 

Q) Better Things is on its’ third season, congrats! How did the role come to you originally?

A) It was kind of just a normal audition process. I go to a lot of auditions, but I had been keeping my eye on that show because I am such a fan of Pam’s [Adlon]. So, my agent called, said I had an audition and I’ve known Felicia Fasano (the casting director for Better Things) for a long time. So, I went in and this audition…And it was a little unusual because usually you get the material ahead of time, so you can work on it. But with this one it was just like show up and you will get the lines when you get there. So, we did that, I auditioned and I don’t know probably a week later they said, “You’re definitely in the show, but we don’t know who you are yet.” Then, I think as they were writing they kind of figured out that Tressa was the right place for me. I was initially just booked for one episode – that first episode where Pam is up for that pilot and doesn’t get it and then they started writing me into additional episodes and she kind of became a friends/inner circle thing.

Q) Being a working actress, you must have loads of experience with managers. Did you mold the character of Tressa after anyone? Is she an amalgamation of experiences you’ve had in your career, or was Pam pretty specific about who Tressa was and how she wanted to you play her?

A) Pam really wasn’t and she really is an amalgamation. I think right in that first episode there was so much great information about Tressa, which really is a testament to the writing on the show. But like I am in the office with my son and I had my wedding ring on set that day and I asked if Tressa was married and Pam said, “No! All the women on this show are doing it by themselves!” I was like, “Okay. That’s really good information.” So, I knew right away that Tressa was a working single mom and I think just the way that first episode unfolds it’s clear she is very intuitive. She’s really good at her job and probably doesn’t get enough credit for it. She’s a real caretaker and has her clients’ best interests at heart. Not just financially and professionally, but she is looking out for their feelings and trying to protect them from the disappointments of this business, which I think says a lot about Tressa. Not all managers, [laughing] in my experience, do that.

Q) That’s one of the best things about the relationship between Tressa and Sam. Tressa isn’t just a manager, but kind of a maternal protector for Sam. She is definitely involved in her life and tries to look out for her. She also knows Hollywood and some of the problems women like Sam, women over forty years old, face in the industry. Do you feel a kinship with this role?

A) Absolutely! Absolutely…I mean, I think a part of the great and cathartic thing about this show in general is that it’s so focused on women and their experiences. Experiences that actual women can recognize. We’re just constantly revealing things that make us all go, “OH MY GOD, YES! Why has nobody ever said this out loud before?” And I think what women go through in this industry is one of those things. Women in the industry, particularly, responded really strongly to that episode with me. They got it whereas maybe some of the other people in the industry didn’t get it as deeply.

Q) What’s your views on women over forty years old finding great roles today? Is it still tough or is there hope on the horizon?

A) Well, I think it’s both really. I feel like I am in an interesting position because you know I was never an ingenue, never up for those young, beautiful lead romantic roles thank God. [laughs] And everyone always said to me, “You’ll start working when you look like you could be someone’s mom,” which is totally what happened. So, for me, getting close to forty was a blessing. It was what I had been waiting for, which is not what’s supposed to happen. I do think it’s real and legitimate…There are lots of women who had that pressure on them where, “You have to be famous by twenty-five or it’s over for you.” I know women who have had that said to them. I happen to not be one of those women, I got kind of the opposite. It’s all kind of ridiculous! Our job is about telling human stories and women existed in all ages and should be allowed to tell those stories at all ages! I do think that’s starting to happen as conversations about women in Hollywood are evolving and women are taking up more positions of power and starting to be like, “Um, yeah…We’re going to do this a little differently then we have in the past,” which is wonderful.

Q) To me the show does not feel scripted. It seems very real and manages to mirror everyday life and all of its most awkward moments. Was that a conscious choice by writer/producer/director and actress Pamela Adlon?

A) She loves an awkward moment. When one of those moments comes up, and we as actors are sort of pushing to get through to the next line, she will be like, “No, no, no… I want to sit in the fart of it. I want to let that sit and everyone just sit here smelling it and have it be terrible.” I mean she loves uncomfortable moments, which is so delicious because it’s so real! That’s a part of what makes the show so real.

Q) What’s it been like working alongside her?

A) It’s awesome! I am studying her and watching her like a hawk all the time because she’s doing this incredible multi-tasking thing that I have never been a part of before. She’s running the writing room, she’s directing every episode, she’s starring, she’s the show runner, she’s involved in every aspect of that show and yet when I have done television in the past, where an actor is directing or involved on multiple levels, it tends to slow things down. On this show it doesn’t. It just feels natural because everything is such a reflection of her vision and she’s surrounded herself with people who really understand what she’s going for. It really feels seamless and I’m just trying to soak up everything I can from her because I think what she’s accomplishing is incredible. I don’t think people totally understand how incredible it is if they don’t work in television or haven’t done this kind of work. I mean, we film all the episodes at once and not in order. At least I get off kind of easy because it’s not my job to keep track of all of that. [laugh] I get to ask our script supervisor where we are, but as you know this show is not super plot driven, so if it goes out of order you won’t lose the thread. It’s much more vignette style, which I think makes that a little easier, at least for me, because it’s not all about tracking an intricate plot.

Q) The bulk of your work has really been in one-hour drama/dramedies like Better Things and Shameless, but now you’re playing single mom of four, Jenna Wrather, on Disney’s Coop and Cami Ask the World. What made you want to branch out into a more family friendly role?

A) I was so surprised when that audition came up! I wrote to my agent and said, “Have they Googled me? Like…I just want to make sure the understand who they’re calling in. [Laughing] My ass has been on television. They know that, right?” They were like, “Yes, yes, they know and they’re really excited,” and I was like, “Okay, I am not what I think of when I think of a Disney Channel mom.” So, I was very conscious throughout the whole process going forward. I thought that I would do this and my work will be authentic to me and something I can be proud of and live with for three or four years, if that’s what happens. I’m not going to try and be perky or whatever I have in my mind is right for a Disney Channel mom and if they like it, great, and THEY DID! It’s kind of a lovely surprise to go to work and no one is going to ask me to take off my clothes. I am not going to have to do any heavy emotional lifting. Like there’s no sobbing, there’s no murder, it’s just a lovely time. You know there’s authentic family stuff, there’s real feelings in that show we’re dealing with. The dad has passed away and some feelings come up from the kids and for the mom about that which is true to life. It’s a comedy, it’s a sitcom, it’s a family show that’s rated G and it’s lovely to go to work on something like that after doing so many dramas.

Q) How was Jenna originally described to you?

A) Yeah, I think it was something like she was a single working mom that’s starting to date again after losing her husband. Two of her kids have an online show that she’s always keeping an eye on. It was that kind of thing. So, you know, when you audition you only have the pilot script and all the information I had about the character was in there. They did say they wanted her to be an actual part of the show. I was worried she would be in the kitchen with a disapproving look all the time and doing something kind of stereotypical, but they said, “No, she was going to be real. We are going to see her work, see her dating, we’re going to see her getting involved with the kids and their show and she will be a full fleshed out person,” which was really important to me.

Q) Coop and Cami host a show called “Would You Rather” where they let their fans vote on pretty much all of their decisions, but Jenna is the one who sort of has to reel them in if things get wild. As a mom, she certainly has her hands full. What is it about Disney moms that make them so iconic? They definitely are the glue that holds the families together.

A) Well, I think that’s just it. I think Disney always understood that moms rule. If mom doesn’t like what you’re putting out, the kids are not going to watch it. So, I think they put a lot of attention on to what moms like, what moms want, what they care about and I think it’s to their credit that Jenna is not a perfect mom. She’s flawed, she gets frustrated and lashes out at her kids sometimes. She is pretty true to life in terms of my friends who are juggling careers and kids and all of that stuff. I think Disney knows that moms and parents in general, but let’s be honest. It’s really moms who are often central to what their kids are allowed to watch, what they’re allowed to like and Disney cares a lot about what moms think.

Q) I know you are a big fan of Twitter and with working on two very different shows, your feed must be filled with all sorts of young Disney fans as well as adults who enjoy the dark humor of Better Things and What is it like interacting with your fans on social media?

A) Yeah, it’s been interesting. The fans have been great. There are more younger fans on Instagram and I admit I did go through my Instagram feed just to make sure there was nothing in there I wanted them to see. I did maybe delete a post or two. [laughing]…

Q) Do you ever feel like you have to censor yourself for your younger fans?

A) I wouldn’t say I censor myself. And to their credit, Disney sort of said, “You’re an adult. You’re allowed to have opinions and express yourself, but just remember, you are an ambassador to the brand. I don’t think, I mean I am not really prone to posting inappropriate things. I do have political opinions, but I haven’t really censored myself anymore than I would as just as public figure who has some accountability to what I say and what I endorse. So, I always have that in mind. I used to work as my day job in social media and my muscle of thinking is like, “is this something I’m prepared to stand by if it comes up later?” So, I don’t think much has changed, although I am more careful in terms of what messages I’m sending and being aware of who is seeing my posts. To Disney’s credit, at the beginning of Coop and Cami, we had a week of sitcom 101 camp where they talked about responsible social media habits. Like don’t post your location while you’re at some place and be careful about revealing too much and trusting people too much. And they tried to help prepare us, mostly the kids, because fame is a weird thing, even for a fully formed self-actualized adult never mind a kid. I think it was great that they did that.

Q) You are a busy woman! Filming two shows, back to back, must be wonderful and exhausting. What do you do to decompress?

A) I definitely take time to decompress. You know, I just come home… I’m a homebody. I think, like a lot of actors, I’m sort of a half introvert and half extrovert, which some people find surprising. Whenever I don’t have to be somewhere, I am home. I have cats, I have a very comfy house, my husband and I are wine aficionados so we do a lot of day trips to Santa Barbara and stuff like that. I’m one of those people that if I have to go to premiere or I’m working on set all day with lots of people, I need some alone time! [Laughing] I have to balance it out with some alone time or I will get really stressed out.

Q) What’s next for you, Rebecca? Are you working on any other projects the fans should look out for?

A) Yes, although I’m not allowed to talk about it yet. I just worked on something recently that I’m not allowed to talk about, but I’m about to go back to Coop and Cami. We’re shooting Season Two in another month or so and everything’s about to gear up. I, of course, have my fingers crossed that there will be another season of Better Things. So, I hope to be working on those two shows, back to back, side by side once again. I wish I could tell you about the other thing, but I guess I will just have to talk to you again when I can.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and the work you do?

A) I mean…[pause] I would just like to say thank you and it means so much to me. As someone who spent almost twenty years working a full-time day job just to get to the point where I could fully support myself as an actor, which was what I really wanted to do for my whole life, it’s the fans who make it possible to have a job that I love and keep working on these projects that mean so much to me. I am just so grateful and always happy to meet people. I’m excited to be on shows I can really be proud of. That’s a real blessing as an actor and I don’t take that for granted for a second.